


Lay us down, we're in love.

by calimaslinson



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Death, F/M, Graphic descriptions, I'm so sorry, Mentions of Suicide, Morbidity, Weapons, Zombie Apocalypse, actual suicide, practically canon, rayber, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-05
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-16 11:01:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3485795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calimaslinson/pseuds/calimaslinson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The one where the Achievement Hunters are badass zombie slayers until shit happens.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lay us down, we're in love.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LetsPlayRayvin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetsPlayRayvin/gifts).



It's August of the year 2020, or at least Amber thinks, with the way the sun beats heavily against her dirt-smudged skin. They haven't seen a scrap of food in days, nor have they received an ounce of shut-eye, yet her friends all seem to have more energy than ever before.  _Maybe it's from the delirium_ , Amber proposes mentally, and she's probably right. Geoff seems to giggle a lot more often, and every now and then she swears she catches the tiniest hint of a smile forming on the corners of Michael's lips, and Ray's dark chocolate eyes have lightened up a few more shades than usual. It's been two months and fifteen days since they had experienced any bit of normalcy since their everyday lives went smoothly and almost perfectly. But all was destroyed when the FDA released a miracle drug with the name Advita that was supposed to cure all forms of cancer in every stage. Advita did cure cancer, however, within hours, every patient turned into a zombie - no exaggeration there, either. The sons of bitches lurk the streets in search of their next victim, and when they pounce, they make sure that the only trace left of their meal is bones and drips of blood that somehow cascaded from their lips to the ground beneath them. That's how this started, with one massive fuckup from the government. Amber had never trusted them, anyway, but her uncertainty swiftly turned into hatred when the patients of the government's mishap attacked her family, leaving her not even a single relative - besides her Uncle Geoff, whom she never spoke to, until he sought her out amidst the streets of San Antonio. That's when he introduced her to the group. There was Gavin, the nitwitted Brit who cared a bit too much for his friends. He died two weeks into their journey when a flesh-eater attempted to attack his best friend, Michael. Gavin couldn't have that, so instead of letting his "boi" get eaten alive, he forced himself between the two and was the zombie's dinner, giving Michael time to escape. There's Michael, the hot-headed Jersey boy who had a sense of humor up until the day Gavin died, which shook him more than the loss of his own parents. And then there was Ryan, who died four days after Gavin did, but he wasn't lost to the horde. Ryan shoved the end of a pistol into his mouth and pulled the trigger just minutes after his wife and children were ravaged by three zombies. There was Jack, who died one month and twelve days into the journey, slamming his brute body against a door to shut out a swarm while Geoff, Ray, Michael, and Amber escaped. And lastly, there's Ray, the nerdy yet oh-so-adorable man who managed to make Amber fall in love, despite every fiber of her being telling her not to. She began to trust those guys, as they were all they had left. 

"You know what sucks?" Geoff questions the group, a snarky grin on his face. When the others don't answer, he continues anyway, "It sucks when you remember how food used to taste, before this bullshit, and then you taste like, a steak or something. That sucks a bag of dicks." 

Everyone laughs to themselves at the idiotic comment, all except Michael, who just seems to stew in the pit of rage that boils in his stomach. "You know what  _sucks_ Geoff? The fact that  _none of us_ have eaten in fucking days, and you're running your damn mouth about fucking  _steak._ " 

Usually, the others would snicker at Michael's salty display, but recently they've learned to keep their mouths shut. Michael's bouts of anger aren't out of nowhere, no, they're sparked by the sight of Gavin Free getting torn to shreds before Michael's very eyes. It's permanently embedded in the backs of his eyelids, Michael believes, as every time they close, he sees it; the massive zombie sinking his teeth into Gavin's shoulder, the look in Gavin's eyes as he writhes in pain against the concrete, the ungodly amount of blood that puddles around Gavin's neck, the way his ligaments seem to tear off so easily - Michael relives it every day, and he regrets letting Gavin sacrifice his life for Michael's own.

"We have to make it to Carnduff by Friday," Ray reminds the group, as he had gained a sense of responsibility after Geoff brought Amber into their group. "We've made it this far, and the border is just a few hours ahead." He changes the topic, a skill he's mastered since being on the trail with his friends who always seem to get fueled by the little things.

And he was right. Their schedule gave them a little over four and a half days to make it to Carnduff, Canada. Geoff had gotten a gut feeling when they first picked Amber up, and he made a plan to head to Canada, where they'd settle. He had claimed it was a gut feeling, and everyone trusted him.

Ray slings an arm around Amber's hips, walking beside the girl he managed to form a specific admiration for, one that couldn't be changed even if he tried. It's her eyes, or so he reasoned with himself on a daily basis. He knows they're magnetic, they must be.

 

-

 

Hours later, just as the sun starts to set, they find themselves within a few hundred yards of the border to Canada. The amount of complete joy that floods through every one of their bodies could save the world, really, as they're close to reaching their goal. 

"Okay, here's how this is going to work. We have to move quickly. It's not safe to be out in the open at dark. Nobody splits up, nobody speaks, nobody shoots unless they're directly threatened. We don't need to draw any extra attention to us." Geoff whispers to the others as they pace over the dried out grass beneath their feet, their eyes almost used to being on the lookout while it's entirely dark around them. The silence deafens the air, much like it has every night, when they're most vulnerable to being attacked. 

Amber would be lying if she said she isn't scared, hell, every time Geoff gives such a harsh demand that is necessary for survival, she fears that she'll fuck it up somehow and get everyone killed. That's what usually happens with her, she always finds a way to get the others into trouble. 

But despite Amber's fears, they have to do what is necessary to find a safe place. Geoff holds up his fingers, one.. two.. three.

It all happens so fast. Ray drags Amber by the arm across the expanse of the grassy field, Geoff in the lead, with Michael trailing behind. And they run. Their legs carry them as fast as they can in the direction of the border, where a rusty Welcome to Canada sign sits perfectly in the grass, like it was placed there. And they run more. And their breaths leave their lips in exasperated heaves. And Ray's arm around Amber's middle seems to tighten with every pace they take. Geoff's head darts back and forth from left to right, being the front lookout. Michael's gun sits against his shoulder, ready to fire at anything that appears from the menacingly dark night. 

And then Ray's arm isn't there anymore.

Amber whirls around when a howl of a scream sounds from behind her, one she recognizes instantly. And what her eyes spot defies every bit of confidence Geoff placed in her. A zombie topples Ray over, pinning him down against the dead grass, gnawing at the lad's abdomen as though it was a a fresh cheeseburger in a room full of vegan food. Every ounce of her insides wanted her to shout in horror, but she can't. She can't draw any more attention to them than already has been given.

And then there's a loud bang. 

The zombie flops backwards onto the grass, bleeding from a bullet hole in the head. Michael lowers his gun, eyes widened and his face completely alabaster, missing any pigment it once had. "We have to get him out of here," Michael demands to Amber, who helps him heave the boy up. Geoff continues to be the lookout as the younger group members carry Ray away from the vicinity. 

 

-

 

**Hour Five**

"He was bitten, Amber, we can't run the risk of him infecting any of us. What if he bites you?! Don't be fucking stupid." Geoff scolds Amber, a look of infuriation taking over his exhausted features, one Amber had never seen on him.

"Don't pawn him off like you pawned Gavin and Jack off, Geoff!" Amber hisses in return, crossing her arms adamantly over her busty chest and shifting her weight from one leg to the other before she continues, "Let him live until he's fully changed. He's still Ray. It's still Ray in there. You didn't give Gavin or Jack the chance to say their goodbyes. I  _need_ this time with him. I wouldn't ask otherwise." 

Geoff looks at Amber with an expression of complete disbelief, shaking his head slowly as though he's completely disappointed in the girl, which isn't far from the truth at all. "I know you love Ray, and so do I, but he even said -"

And that's when Amber cuts him off, "I don't care what Ray said. If you don't let him live, I'm taking him away myself. We'll find refuge somewhere else." She threatens him, unwavering in her stance.

Geoff pauses for the briefest moment, contemplating his decisions. "You know I can't let you leave here." He speaks, indirectly stating the choice he's made. And to that, Amber flashes him the smallest half-hearted smile, before returning to the other room, where a completely pale Ray lays on a worn down couch. They'd taken shelter in an abandoned home in the middle of nowhere, a bit past the border of Canada. 

He's bare, completely stark naked in the middle of the room. He's been running a fever, it's apparent with the way his cheeks are completely pinkened. He holds a bucket in front of him, spilling the contents of his stomach, mainly bile. All Amber can do is comfort him, her hand hesitantly resting on his shoulder as she speaks words of reassurance to the boy she loves. "It's okay, you're okay. Everything is going to be fine." She falsely speaks, knowing that everything absolutely will not be okay. 

His body trembles with her touch, as it feels colder than usual with the rapidly rising temperature of his body. He nods at her, the only thing he can manage to do with his weak stature. 

**Hour Eight**

The morning light shines through a crack in the wall, but they've decided to stay where they're at. They haven't spotted a flesh eater since they parked hours ago, and they've planned to stay until they're forced to leave, for Ray's sake. His skin splays over with a waxen gray, and he's stopped vomiting, but his temperature has risen farther than any normal human being can handle. And he's angry, and confused.

"Why is this happening to me?! Why am I here?!" Ray growls out through a husky tone, his once vibrant mocha orbs now a pale black, pupils dilated to the fullest. He doesn't understand what's occurring, and it only breaks Geoff's heart further to witness it. Michael doesn't stay, he sends himself on a hunt to gather more food. He definitely doesn't punch the ground and curse at the sky, nor does he cry. Michael doesn't cry. 

**Hour Seventeen**

He's not awake, utterly unconscious, his body lacking any movement whatsoever, except muscle contractions that must be subconscious, as no human could move in that sort of way without shattering their bones. Amber lays next to him, her fingertips stroking over his bicep in the most gentle movements. She presses tiny kisses to her unoccupied hand before smearing them over Ray's skin, the closest she can possibly get to real ones. Her eyes mist over with tears, and she finally lets herself cry for the first time since the incident, now that he's unable to witness her break down.

Geoff watches on, with Michael at his side. Michael's fists ball up and unclench repetitively, as though he's attempting to keep himself stable. And Geoff holds the boy near, the only thing he can do at this time, the same thing he'd done when Gavin passed. "I'm proud of you," Geoff whispers into Michael's ear, but he doesn't earn a response from the defeated boy. For Michael, all hope is lost. And Geoff's teetering on the edge, too. 

Amber doesn't sleep, instead she sings quiet lullabies to Ray's comatose body.

 _Whether near or far_  
I am always yours  
Any change in time  
We are young again  
Lay us down  
We're in love

_  
_ **Hour Twenty-two**

Amber is barely awake, humming to the tune of You Are My Sunshine, something she's done for the past hour with repetition. What takes her by surprise is when Ray's eyes open, completely bloodshot, irises filled to the brim with black. Geoff notices, as does Michael, as they've both been watching adamantly like a hawk.

When Geoff attempts to tug her away, she fights back, gazing at Ray with hurt, and despair, and love, and  _hope_ filling her feminine features. "I know you're in there, Ray, I can see it." She's cut off by an inhuman sound that escapes from the back of Ray's throat, sounding like a squawk. "I love you, Ray, I love you! Please -" She's cut off once more when Geoff and Michael drag her out of the grip of her lover, well, what remains of her lover. They all know it isn't Ray anymore, that he's long gone. 

Michael holds Amber down to the ground, his arms wound tightly around the girl's waist, whispering gentle consolations into her ear as he clutches to her like he's never held anything before. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. You're okay. He'll be better off this way." He continues, but his words ring silently in Amber's ears as Geoff grasps onto Michael's gun. Ray shoves himself up onto his feet, and he staggers for the briefest moment before Geoff fires the gun in numerous shots at Ray's cranium, causing screams to escape through Amber's lips. She cries out to the wind as Michael drags her outside, and she heaves, vomits up bile as the realization sets in. Michael cradles her delicately in his arms as she drops to the ground on her knees, hands seizing palms full of the dirt. They stay like that for what seems like a lifetime before Geoff paces out the door, clutching a gun and a bag in one hand. "Come on, let's go." He speaks, and they stand, knowing they have to continue on. They can't hold onto death.

 

-

 

They've stopped somewhere off of a main road to search for food, but this time, Michael had requested to go alone. He wanders off into the middle of a field, gun slung over his shoulder, as he left his knapsack with the others. He stops in front of a tree - the first tree he's seen that isn't smeared with blood. A little smile finds its way onto the corners of his thin, chapped lips, a morbid smile at that. He drops down to sit against the base of the tree, eyes darting up to the sky above, where few clouds gather amongst the periwinkle atmosphere. "I hope I'm doing the right thing." He speaks, a few tears welling up in his tired eyes, "It hurts. God, Gavin, it hurts. I wish you were here." He chokes on his words, eyes squeezing shut in an attempt to fight back the urge to sob. "I hope Ray is taking good care of you, boi. I'm sorry I couldn't." He swallows back the lump that cuts off his air supply, unable to force out any more words. His body shakes with hurt, crying out with every exhale he releases. He grits his teeth as both of his hands reach for his gun, not giving himself enough time to second guess. Holding the end of the gun to his head, the same gun that ended Gavin and Ray, tears roll down his pale cheeks, and he pulls the trigger. Blood spatters everywhere as he drops to the ground, and he's already gone. No more tears.

 

-

 

Geoff and Amber shuffle down an abandoned road, Amber clutching Ryan's old map in her hands. They're in Carnduff, for sure, where Geoff expected to end up. Geoff spots a building in the distance, what looks to be filled with people. Actual,  _living_ people. Both of their eyes light up and they run. Faster and faster their feet move in the direction of the building, until they reach the door, where they're greeted by a beautiful blonde woman carrying a young baby boy. 

"You two haven't been bitten, have you?" She asks, a protective stance showing as she clutches tightly to her baby.

"No, no, I promise. You can strip search us and everything." Geoff stammers, tugging his shirt up, before the woman pushes it back down.

"That won't be necessary, come on in." She invites the two in, and what they see surprises them completely.

A house, filled with furniture, and happy, smiling people. A house with food, with comfortable fixtures, with warmth and  _life._

Geoff takes Amber into his arms, and tears stream down their faces, but they're tears of complete happiness. "It's okay, we're home now." He presses a tender kiss to his niece's forehead as he holds her close, knowing things would be alright, at least for now. 

They settle there, taken in by the gracious owner who had started the refuge for people that survived. Geoff had been right. 

 

-

 

**One Year Later**

Geoff pulls Amber to the side, one hand held behind his back as the other holds her wrist.

"What's going on, why did you need me?" Amber asks in a confused tone of voice, tilting her head to the side in a questioning manner, eyes furrowed in confusion.

"I have something for you." Geoff states with a small smile, nervous beyond everything. He holds out his hand to Amber, who takes the item from his hand. A dog tag on a silver chain, with the words  _Ray Narvaez Jr. Verified Achievement Hunter_ inscribed into the metal. She looks at Geoff with confusion, who manages to explain.

"I took that when he passed. He wore it every day without fail." Geoff drones on, but his words bounce off of Amber and deflect back onto him, as she focuses on the necklace. Bringing it up to her lips, she presses a little kiss to the metal, her eyes fluttering closed.

Ray Narvaez Jr. had managed to make her fall hopelessly and foolishly in love with him over a span of seventy-seven days. And although he isn't with her physically, she'll always have a piece of him to carry with her. 

 _In the coming years_  
Many things will change  
But the way I feel  
Will remain the same  
Lay us down  
We're in love


End file.
